ValerieWe left early the next morning, gathering into the car Lord Mueller provided. The dragons set out on their own, the vehicle much too small to provide enough room for their sizable bodies. They would meet us at Salmere, where we would report to the Alpha on our findings.I couldn’t believe we had only been gone a day. Already, I missed the scent of Salmere castle. I missed the view from the window and waking up with a sense of safety, in a warm blanket, wrapped in crisp morning air. I could not have imagined that when I was being dragged out of the slave shop, I would be taken to a place that I would one day miss.I had no idea that my future Master would be my key to freedom.Relief found me like a dream when we made it out of the dense, dark forest. The same one we had come in through. The windows were not blocked from my vision this time, but I chose to look down and cover my ears in preparation for the terrible sounds I’d heard on our way to Baycrest.Thankfully, the drive

ValerieIf there was one thing I was dying to do upon my return to Salmere, it was to visit the garden one more time.Thankfully, the servants left me to my own accord, and I was allowed to step out of the castle walls without supervision. Lucas and Sebastian were still holed up in the den, chatting about their findings. Mrs. Manson had left to report the news to the humans in the village she had spoken of.It gave me the perfect opportunity to escape. To walk the garden grounds alone. The only place in this world where I truly felt at peace.I didn’t know if my decision to act as tribute was right, or if it would all be in vain. All I knew was that I needed to do it. That it was my only chance at finding Ava. And that if I stopped here—if I never saw Alpha Xavier again, I would never find her.I would spend my entire life wondering what happened to her. If she was alright.I couldn’t live with that. Especially after seeing how sickly and tired she looked on stage. And ever since that

Valerie Mrs. Manson accompanied me to the gates the next day. When I bid farewell to everyone, a small family of humans watched from outside the gate. A mother, a father, and two young girls. They all wore hand-sewn clothing and knitted hats. Surely, they weren’t from the city. Villagers? I thought. Mrs. Manson explained that they had come to thank me, but that they didn’t want to speak to me directly. I wasn’t sure if they were afraid of the wolven guards at Salmere castle, or if it was fear for something else. Maybe they were afraid I might regret it. That I would turn and run and all their hopes would disappear. That if they praised me for this deed, then it was showing me that what I was doing was treacherous. That they might scare me away from my task at hand. I smiled at them, hoping they understood my message: that I was firm in my decision. They stared on silently, but there was a certain grace in their eyes. A look of admiration. Mrs. Manson joined me in the car, and

Valerie I had to speak to Alpha Xavier in private. The chances that the Princess chose one of the other maids was simply too high. I couldn’t put all of my eggs in that basket. And besides, a glimpse wouldn’t be enough. What if Alpha Xavier had forgotten who I was? Then doing all of this would be for nothing. His eyes would graze right over me and he’d never know anything was wrong. He had to be here somewhere. I just needed to find him. I waited until the other girls fell asleep, then I crept slowly from my bed and slipped out of the maid’s quarters. Earlier in the day, I had heard the guards chatting about standing post for a late-night meeting regarding the Alpha and the Northerners. They mentioned the meeting rooms, but I hadn’t any idea where they were. I tiptoed out of the maids chambers and closed the door silently behind me. Then I glanced around, expecting to see guards posted at every edge of the corridor. Thankfully, there was no one. Adrian had mentioned a heightene

Xavier “I came to tell you something,” Valerie said, her chest heaving. She seemed to be having a hard time catching her breath. I had probably scared the life out of her, but it was for good reason. This place was far too dangerous for a human girl to be venturing at night. But still, I did not like to see her shivering in fear at the sight of me. I would not harm her, and I hoped she knew that. A slight regret twinged in my gut. I shouldn’t have been so harsh. “I was looking for you. I heard you had a meeting with the Princess and her family. B-but, there were two wolves…” she began. Her eyes darted to the meeting room, and it didn’t take much effort to put two and two together. “They saw me. I’m certain. I think they’ll come looking for me.” She had nothing to fear with me around, but I was too angry to tell her so. I was going to wring Lucas’s neck for allowing her to do something so stupid and dangerous. I snatched her by the hand and pulled her along, speaking not a word un